An Exploration of the Evidence System of UK Mental Health Charities

The project aimed to explore the 'evidence system' for UK mental health charities. An 'evidence system' comprises how evidence is produced, synthesised, disseminated, and used: who is involved in each of these four stages, why they do them, how work at each stage is funded, and what aids and hinders work at each stage.

This project sits alongside studies that Giving Evidence has conducted of other sectors to help charities and donors make better evidence-based decisions. It was commissioned by the AD Charitable Trust which funds UK mental health charities and is interested in evidence. We hope that the report and finding catalyze and inform a wider mental health charity sector discussion about practical ways to help mental health charities to make good decisions, by using and building the evidence-base for their work.